Power door lock actuator

Abstract

A power door lock actuator including: a housing; a bi-directional electric motor; a threaded shaft drivingly connected with the drive shaft of the motor; a drive armature threadingly engaged with the threaded shaft, wherein the drive armature has a first abutment at its distal end; a driven armature which is axially slidable relative to the drive armature over a preset distance of travel determined by a second abutment at its distal end and a third abutment spaced the preset distance from the distal end; a first spring which biases the drive armature toward a one end of the threaded shaft; and a second spring which biases the drive armature toward the other end of the threaded shaft When the motor is not operating the first and second springs cooperate to biasably locate the drive armature to a neutral position so that lost motion travel of the driven armature with respect to the drive armature is provided and the motor is not back-driven whenever the lock mechanism is manually actuated.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A power door lock actuator for actuating a door lock mechanism, comprising: a housing;   a bi-directional electric motor located in said housing;   connection means provided on said housing for connecting said electric motor to an external electrical circuit;   a threaded shaft rotatably connected with said housing, said threaded shaft having a first end and an opposite second end;   drive means for drivingly connecting said electric motor to said threaded shaft so that said electric motor provides rotation of said threaded shaft;   a drive armature axially aligned with said threaded shaft, said drive armature having head means for threadingly engaging said threaded shaft;   first abutment means located on said drive armature for providing an abutment;   a driven armature axially aligned with said threaded shaft;   second abutment means located at a first predetermined location on said driven armature for providing an abutment;   third abutment means located at a second predetermined location on said driven armature for providing an abutment, wherein said first and second predetermined locations are spaced a preselected distance apart to thereby provide a lost motion distance therebetween; and   biasing means for biasing said drive armature in a first direction axially aligned with said threaded shaft and for biasing said drive armature in a second direction that is opposite said first direction, said biasing means biasing said drive armature toward a preselected neutral position;   wherein selected actuation of said electric motor causes selected rotation of said threaded shaft whereupon said drive armature threads with respect to said threaded shaft thereby selectively moving said drive armature axially with respect to said threaded shaft during which movement said biasing means is resiliently biased and said first abutment means abuts with one of said second and third abutment means so that said driven armature selectively moves with said drive armature; and   wherein when said actuation of said electric motor ceases, said resilient biasing of said biasing means biasably repositions said drive armature to said neutral position, whereat said driven armature is freely axially movable with respect to said drive armature over said lost motion distance;   wherein said drive armature comprises two parallel and mutually spaced apart drive armature arms connected with said head means, wherein said threaded shaft is received between said drive armature arms, further wherein each of said drive armature arms has a distal end remote from said head means, said first abutment means being located at said distal end of each of said drive armature arms; and wherein said driven armature comprises an upper and a lower portion, wherein said lower portion comprises two parallel and mutually spaced apart driven armature arms connected with said upper portion at said third abutment means, wherein said threaded shaft is received between said driven armature arms, further wherein each of said driven armature arms has a distal end remote from said third abutment means, said second abutment means being located at said distal end of each of said driven armature arms.   
     
     
       2. The power door lock actuator of claim 1, further comprising: actuator rod means for connecting said driven armature to a door lock mechanism; and   pivot connector means for pivotally connecting said actuator rod means to said driven armature.   
     
     
       3. The power door lock actuator of claim 1, wherein said drive armature arms are received between said driven armature arms. 
     
     
       4. The power door lock actuator of claim 1, wherein said lost motion distance is defined by said driven armature moving with respect to said drive armature a distance defined by said first abutment means being relatively movable between said second and third abutment means. 
     
     
       5. The power door lock actuator of claim 4, wherein said biasing means comprises: a first spring; and   a second spring;   wherein said first and second springs opposingly bias against said head means to thereby biasably position said head means at said neutral position.   
     
     
       6. The power door lock actuator of claim 5, wherein said first, second and third abutment means are relatively located when said head means is at said neutral position such that said selected movement of said drive armature in response to actuation of said electric motor provides a predetermined amount of movement of said driven armature to thereby selectively actuate the locking mechanism. 
     
     
       7. The power door lock actuator of claim 6, wherein said lost motion distance is at least equal to said predetermined amount of movement. 
     
     
       8. The power door lock actuator of claim 7, further comprising: actuator rod means for connecting said driven armature to a door lock mechanism; and   pivot connector means for pivotally connecting said actuator rod means to said driven armature.   
     
     
       9. The power door lock actuator of claim 8, wherein said pivot connector means comprises: a crown at said upper portion of said driven armature;   a cap engaged on said crown, said cap having an aperture and an internal socket, wherein said aperture communicates with said internal socket; and   a bulbous end of said actuator rod means which is trapped in said internal socket, wherein said actuator rod means extends outwardly from said aperture;   wherein said aperture is shaped to thereby permit said actuator rod means to pivotally tilt with respect to said crown of said upper portion of said driven armature.   
     
     
       10. A power door lock actuator for actuating a door lock mechanism, comprising: a housing;   a bi-directional electric motor located in said housing;   connection means provided on said housing for connecting said electric motor to an external electrical circuit;   a threaded shaft rotatably connected with said housing, said threaded shaft having a first end and an opposite second end;   drive means for drivingly connecting said electric motor to said threaded shaft so that said electric motor provides rotation of said threaded shaft;   a drive armature axially aligned with said threaded shaft, said drive armature having head means for threadingly engaging said threaded shaft;   first abutment means located on said drive armature for providing an abutment;   a driven armature axially aligned with said threaded shaft;   second abutment means located at a first predetermined location on said driven armature for providing an abutment;   third abutment means located at a second predetermined location on said driven armature for providing an abutment, wherein said first and second predetermined locations are spaced a preselected distance apart to thereby provide a lost motion distance therebetween; and   biasing means for biasing said drive armature in a first direction axially aligned with said threaded shaft and for biasing said drive armature in a second direction that is opposite said first direction, said biasing means biasing said drive armature toward a preselected neutral position;   actuator rod means for connecting said driven armature to a door lock mechanism; and   pivot connector means for pivotally connecting said actuator rod to said driven armature;   wherein selected actuation of said electric motor causes selected rotation of said threaded shaft whereupon said drive armature threads with respect to said threaded shaft thereby selectively moving said drive armature axially with respect to said threaded shaft during which movement said biasing means is resiliently biased and said first abutment means abuts with one of said second and third abutment means so that said driven armature selectively moves with said drive armature;   wherein when said actuation of said electric motor ceases, said resilient biasing of said biasing means biasably repositions said drive armature to said neutral position, whereat said driven armature is freely axially movable with respect to said drive armature over said lost motion distance;   wherein said lost motion distance is defined by said driven armature moving with respect to said drive armature a distance defined by said first abutment means being relatively movable between said second and third abutment means; and   wherein said pivot connector means comprises: a crown at said upper portion of said driven armature;   a cap engaged on said crown, said cap having an aperture and an internal socket, wherein said aperture communicates with said internal socket; and   a bulbous end of said actuator rod means which is trapped in said internal socket, wherein said actuator rod means extends outwardly from said aperture;   wherein said aperture is shaped to thereby permit said actuator rod means to pivotally tilt with respect to said crown of said upper portion of said driven armature.     
     
     
       11. A power door lock actuator for actuating a door lock mechanism, comprising: a housing;   a bi-directional electric motor located in said housing;   connection means provided on said housing for connecting said electric motor to an external electrical circuit;   a threaded shaft rotatably connected with said housing, said threaded shaft having a first end and an opposite second end;   drive means for drivingly connecting said electric motor to said threaded shaft so that said electric motor provides rotation of said threaded shaft;   a drive armature axially aligned with said threaded shaft, said drive armature having head means for threadingly engaging said threaded shaft;   first abutment means located on said drive armature for providing an abutment;   a driven armature axially aligned with said threaded shaft;   second abutment means located at a first predetermined location on said driven armature for providing an abutment;   third abutment means located at a second predetermined location on said driven armature for providing an abutment, wherein said first and second predetermined locations are spaced a preselected distance apart to thereby provide a lost motion distance therebetween;   first spring means for biasing said drive armature in a first direction axially aligned with said threaded shaft;   second spring means for biasing said drive armature in a second direction that is opposite said first direction, said first and second springs biasing said drive armature toward a preselected neutral position;   actuator rod means for connecting said driven armature to a door lock mechanism; and   pivot connector means for pivotally connecting said actuator rod means to said driven armature;   wherein selected actuation of said electric motor causes selected rotation of said threaded shaft whereupon said drive armature threads with respect to said threaded shaft thereby selectively moving said drive armature axially with respect to said threaded shaft during which movement one of said first and second springs is compressed and said first abutment means abuts with one of said second and third abutment means so that said driven armature selectively moves with said drive armature;   wherein when said actuation of said electric motor ceases, at least one of said first and second springs biasably repositions said drive armature to said neutral position, whereat said driven armature is freely axially movable with respect to said drive armature over said lost motion distance; and   wherein said lost motion distance is defined by said driven armature moving with respect to said drive armature a distance defined by said first abutment means being relatively movable between said second and third abutment means;   wherein said drive armature comprises two parallel and mutually spaced apart drive armature arms connected with said head means, wherein said threaded shaft is received between said drive armature arms, further wherein said each of said drive armature arms has a distal end remote from said head means, said first abutment means being located at said distal end of each of said drive armature arms; and wherein said driven armature comprises an upper and a lower portion, wherein said lower portion comprises two parallel and mutually spaced apart driven armature arms connected with said upper portion at said third abutment means, wherein said threaded shaft is received between said driven armature arms, further wherein each of said driven armature arms has a distal end remote from said third abutment means, said second abutment means being located at said distal end of each of said driven armature arms.   
     
     
       12. The power door lock actuator of claim 10, wherein said drive armature arms are received between said driven armature arms; and wherein said first and second springs opposingly bias against said head means to thereby biasably position said head means at said neutral position. 
     
     
       13. The power door lock actuator of claim 12, wherein said first, second and third abutment means are relatively located when said head means is at said neutral position such that said selected movement of said drive armature in response to actuation of said electric motor provides a predetermined amount of movement of said driven armature to thereby selectively actuate the locking mechanism; and wherein said lost motion distance is at least equal to said predetermined amount of movement. 
     
     
       14. The power door lock actuator of claim 13, wherein said pivot connector means comprises: a crown at said upper portion of said driven armature;   a cap engaged on said crown, said cap having an aperture and an internal socket, wherein said aperture communicates with said internal socket; and   a bulbous end of said actuator rod means which is trapped in said internal socket, wherein said actuator rod means extends outwardly from said aperture;   wherein said aperture is shaped to thereby permit said actuator rod means to pivotally tilt with respect to said crown of said upper portion of said driven armature.